Roleplayer Paradigm Heart
by Ssomsie
Summary: An analysis fic describing the change in Lightning's character from when she becomes a l'Cie to the final battle through the use of her three central paradigm roles. Lightning centric/spoilers
1. Commando

**Title: **Roleplayer/Paradigm Heart  
**Series:** Final Fantasy XIII  
**Rating:** K+  
**By:** Ssomsie  
**Summary: **A analysis fic describing the change in Lightning's character from when she becomes a l'Cie to the final battle through the use of her three central paradigm roles. Lightning centric/spoilers  
**Pairings:** Platonic Hope/Lightning, implied Serah/Snow and Fang/Vanille  
**A/N:** When Lightning first got the "Medic" role, it seemed _so_ out of character for her. I mean, she's supposed to be a "female Cloud", right? (Oh, wait. They deny that now. Convenient. -.-) Heck, in the beginning, even the "Ravager" role didn't quite fit. However, as I progressed through the game, I started seeing the parallel to her character development in the order that her primary branches were opened (Commando Ravager Medic) as a nice little symbolic device, thus the idea for this fic was born. (Hope it's not taken by like 1800 people already. XP) I hope I keep Lightning in character, at least mostly. She's… actually harder to write than I would have thought. XP (Plus, seeing as I'm still on my first playthrough, I'm going off of first playthrough memories/impressions plus a select few cutscenes rewatched on youtube.)  
**Disclaimer: **…Not even commenting. Oh… I _have_ to? Fine then. I don't own Final Fantasy XIII.

* * *

_...Commando..._

She works alone. Quick, lethal, and agile.

Not entirely selfish, she just knows that they would bring her down and she can_not_ afford that. Time has become limited- she does not know how many months-days-hours-minutes-_seconds_ are left now.

She has become a loathed l'Cie. No… "l'Cie" can be good. What makes her "evil" is that she is a _Pulse_ l'Cie… "doomed to condemn Cocoon to oblivion".

The people with her slowly diminish- it starts out with four others… The older man who had followed her into the Purge Train for some unknown reason (Lightning honestly wishes that he would quit acting like he is the adult babysitting children- she is _not_ a child; by her own hand she demolished her weakness her childhood by changing her name from "Claire" to "Lightning".), the _way_ too happy red-haired girl (There are times that Lightning wants to ask her if she was "on something".), the blonde-haired boy (His mumbling and hesitance irritates Lightning endlessly- he reminds her of herself when she was "_still a child"_.), and then the there is the _other_.

Him. That guy who needs to stay _away_ from her precious, innocent sister.

Irritatingly protesting "I can save her" and "I'll save the world"… Does the moron not realize that his "fiancée""… her sister… _"Serah"_… is **gone**?

"Eternal crystal sleep".

Yeah right.

That is just another way to say "dead".

At times, Snow's stupidity and arrogance gets to be too- much unable to help herself, Lightning is compelled to _make him pay_ for his false promises and declarations.

"Save the world"? As if. He is not even responsible enough to take care of himself.

When it comes time for the first member to depart, thankfully, it is Snow that is left behind.

The old man, red-haired girl, and blonde-haired boy are still with her, but at least Snow is gone.

(At least she does not have to hear him and be constantly _reminded_ why Serah is gone- because the cynic Lightning refused to listen.)

The weight of the world is on Lightning's shoulders… at least, the weight of _Lightning's _world.

Fear and hatred and disgust… all towards herself.

(_"If only I had listened…"_)

She wants to forget- anything to stop herself from remembering that her sister is _gone_.

A constant reminder of her _sin_ is in the red pouch on her thigh- the survival knife that Serah gave her for her birthday. Lightning halfway wants to use the knife to end her own life.

(How ironic would it be if a _survival_ knife causes her death?)

That will not do though.

She should suffer. After all, it _is_ all her fault.

Instead, Lightning decides to attack the Sanctum- if they had not ordered the Purge, then there is a chance that she could have been with Serah for more than her final seconds.

Lightning is a Pulse l'Cie. A Pulse l'Cie's Focus is to bring about the end of Cocoon- calling that "common knowledge" is an understatement.

While she, in no way, shape, or form, wants to succumb to fal'Cie will (_especially_ a Pulse fal'Cie), Lightning acknowledges that one can only run for so long- especially when on the ticking-timer that will end in a fate worse than death… becoming a Cie'th.

That is why she chooses to take the fight to the Sanctum's front door- to launch an attack on Eden.

Even if it is the last thing she does, she wants to make them pay for ruining her life and taking her sister _(the only person she had left) _away from her.

No one else should be involved in this fight- she would not dare force them into following her. On the contrary, she honestly wants to fight alone.

She acknowledges that it is nothing less than reckless suicide. However, what is the difference between dying at the hands of the Sanctum and becoming a Cie'th?

At least with the Sanctum, once she is dead, she is **dead**. As a Cie'th, one never truly dies -Cie'th live on in misery for _all of eternity_.

That is why she marches ahead- the remaining three people are _too slow_. There is no time to waste.

A few potions and her Blazefire Saber will allow her to accomplish her mission- if she must die, she will _not_ go without taking down those who have placed her in this situation.


	2. Ravager

**Title: **Roleplayer/Paradigm Heart  
**Series:** Final Fantasy XIII  
**Rating:** K+  
**By:** Ssomsie  
**Summary: **A analysis fic describing the change in Lightning's character from when she becomes a l'Cie to the final battle through the use of her three central paradigm roles. Lightning centric/spoilers  
**Pairings:** Platonic Hope/Lightning, implied Serah/Snow and Fang/Vanille  
**A/N:** This, honestly, is my least favorite of the paradigm chapters… Just didn't quite turn out how I wanted it to. XP Nonetheless, I hope that I'm just paranoid/unappeasable, and that everyone else does enjoy it. :)

* * *

_..Ravager.._

She has done something she did not think that she would ever do of her own free will- she is working with another.

She has become the older sister to another.

She sees herself in this younger boy.

She asks him to call her "Light".

She has a "protégé".

And, although it takes some time before she realizes it, she manages to damage this impressionable little boy as badly as she hurt Serah.

So fantasized by revenge and self-destruction, she did not realize that she has been forcing these same ideals onto one who is as unstable as she is- she has been giving false hope to the boy who is, ironically, named "Hope".

However, that does not change the fact that her heart is beginning to heal. In this confused and troubled teenage boy, she sees, for a lack of a better word, "hope".

Charging in recklessly, he has begun to adopt her statements as life-guidelines… when in reality, they are little more than the ramblings of someone who is too caught up in grief to realize what she is saying.

After all, he is just a fourteen year old boy whose mother has recently died- Lightning should have realized sooner how vulnerable he is… after all, her own parents died when she was young also.

Instead, in her misguided fury, she has not only allowed, but encouraged, him to follow her down the path of demise.

(One thing is for certain though- she has allowed this young boy into her heart… She has allowed him to be close to her as only one other is… To Lightning, this boy is her brother as much as Serah is her sister.)

That is why, once she realizes what she has done to him, she starts searching for any way to reverse the effects- to show him that she was _wrong_ when she went off on a suicidal tangent.

She first realizes her mistake when she hears the words "Operation Nora".

However, as much as she hates to admit it, she had her own "Operation Nora" at one time. Just a short while ago, she would have had few qualms about killing her sister's fiancé. (Not that she is at _all_ happy, friendly, or any other suitable adjectives, with Snow. She just no longer wants to kill him. Logic has begun to reclaim the part of her mind that had been overrun with fury.)

Hope really _is_ taking after her if the decision to start a mission to kill the one who he blames for his problems is any indication.

And, seeing as he is taking after her, when she denounces her "teachings" and everything that he had been holding on to until that point, he does not take it too well.

Both are scared; unsure of what to believe in.

However, neither are _quite_ as upset to be l'Cie anymore… after all, it has brought them both- together two people who are quite similar. The only thing stopping them from being related is blood.

And a short while later as a testimony of their luck (or lack there of), they are separated. Lightning is then partnered with another. And, as irony would have it, this woman is one of the people who caused Serah to become a l'Cie.

Lightning sees almost as many similarities between herself and Fang as she saw between herself and Hope… just in totally different ways.

Fang understands failing to protect. Unlike Hope, Fang is not young and impressionable- she is stubborn and self-sufficient.

Lightning has lost everything she wanted to protect- she has lost her motivation to fight. That is when Fang reminds her to fight for Serah's future.

(Because, Fang insists, Serah is _not_ dead- Fang herself is testament that "eternal crystal sleep" does not equate with "dead".)

Fang is the second person to receive permission to call the strawberry-blonde "Light".

Unlike any other Lightning has met, Fang domineers immediately- "I'll take point. You watch the rear."

That is the true beginning of Lightning working with others. Although Hope is the one who softened her heart, Fang is the first person who ever took full lead over Lightning- emotionally and physically.

That is why, when a group of PSICOM soldiers spot the two female l'Cie, Fang's job is to attack them with her lance; Lightning is to focus on their elemental weaknesses and trying to break them.

"You ready? You _can_ fight 'em, right?" Fang yells once the soldiers are in range of the two girls.

"Target's a target."


	3. Medic

**Title: **Roleplayer/Paradigm Heart  
**Series:** Final Fantasy XIII  
**Rating:** K+  
**By:** Ssomsie  
**Summary: **A analysis fic describing the change in Lightning's character from when she becomes a l'Cie to the final battle through the use of her three central paradigm roles. Lightning centric/spoilers  
**Pairings:** Platonic Hope/Lightning, implied Serah/Snow and Fang/Vanille  
**A/N:** At end this time. :)

* * *

_.Medic._

She would never have though, even given a thousand years, that **she**, of all people, would be the "mother" of the group.

All Lightning has left is hope- she certainly no longer has time, after all. Her brand is progressing; the weeks, possibly days, maybe even hours or minutes, left before she becomes a Cie'th is upon her.

Although she never directly comforts Sazh or Vanille (As Vanille comforts Sazh, and Fang stays by Vanille's side and knows the girl far better than Lightning could ever pretend to.), the group's morale is dependant on Lightning- for although she does not comfort Sazh or Vanille, Snow, Hope, and Fang all depend on Lightning in some way or another.

When Snow looses himself occasionally, Lightning reminds him that they _will_ see Serah again… after all, it is _his_ optimism (that infuriated her at one time) that has shown her that not _every_ ending has to be sad.

Hope is only fourteen years old. Even if he has grown up and "toughened up", he still needs a mother. They are l'Cie doomed to destroy the world and be enslaved to fal'Cie whims for eternity, or, worse yet, become Cie'th, a fate far worse than death. There is no way that anyone- Lightning included- could handle that by themselves. But, Hope is still so young that he _has_ to have someone to look up towards.

Then there is Fang. Because they are so similar, there are times where- without saying words- they encourage each other. Because to their own respective groups, they are the "rocks". For the two older females, there is no choice but to be strong- the other four depend on them.

That is why when Orphan tortures Fang, Lightning refuses to say a word to Fang as she hands Fang her lance- a look is all that is needed; words are useless. Both women know the words that are being said; verbally saying it is unneeded overkill.

Once the final fight with Orphan begins, Fang charges towards Orphan; it is not hard to believe that she is the feared "Ragnarok" that almost destroyed Cocoon over five-hundred years ago, judging by the way that attacks. Viciously and rapidly her lance swings into Orphan. The cowardly-demonic fal'Cie laughs… it is, to be blunt, _creepy_; the laugh is just short of something that you would expect to hear from a possessed-baby- not a fal'Cie that controls the entire world of Cocoon.

Snow focuses on taking damage for everyone- he is, after all, not the strongest attacker anymore. Sazh works on pushing Orphan to its break-state and exploiting any weaknesses that he sees. Hope's role is to cast beneficial spell on the group of l'Cies; all six members are moving at rapid speeds thanks to his Haste spell, and he is working on applying every buffing spell that he knows- after all, there are fewer fights more important than this one; Vanille's job is the opposite of Hope's- she is using every spell she knows to disable Orphan in any way possible.

That leaves one person and one role- Lightning and healer.

Once upon a time, Lightning would have scoffed at being the team healer- even now, she is _definitely _not the most efficient at the role.

In the past, before she became a l'Cie (and even a little while after she was a l'Cie), she **had** to be the main melee fighter- up front and center. Now, however, Lightning has submitted to the fact that she is not the best at that role anymore- Fang surpasses her easily.

Next came the period of time that Lightning was the backup fighter- she specialized in finding the enemies' weaknesses and trying to push the enemies to their break state; that way, the main melee fighter (Usually Fang, as Lightning's ego prevents her from allowing just anyone to push her to secondary melee- they need to be better than Lightning if they wish to take primary melee from the strawberry-blonde. And there are _very few_ better than Lightning.) could defeat the enemies easier.

Finally, Lightning decided to pick up the curative arts in order to help Hope's self-confidence and morale (in this time where morale was so hard to keep) by allowing him to teach her something. By no means is she anywhere near an expert, but, surprisingly, she is better than she would have ever thought.

(The memory of Hope teaching her Cure is something that neither party will ever forget- "No, Light! That'll cause someone to set themselves on fire!" or "Look, maybe I just can't do it… It sounded good, but, well… Hope, I can't do everything." "Light! You're not even trying!"

It had been a _long_ process to learn that first Cure spell. The next spell, Esuna, was a little easier. Still felt like pulling teeth, but it was not _quite_ as bad, at least. It has been an uphill battle from there, but, like when Lightning became the head of household once her parents died, or when she first enrolled in the Guardian Corps and was frequently mocked for both her age and gender, Lightning is _nothing_ if not stubborn and resilient when she puts her mind to a task.)

Orphan is close to defeat- the world almost has its freedom.

However, they are becoming tired- this is the third consecutive fight. There has been no "breather". Orphan must sense that they are growing fatigued- it shoots some type of beam at Vanille, who screams in deafening pain.

"Vanille!" Fang yells; her attention is immediately drawn away from the fal'Cie and onto the younger girl.

"Fang- **focus**!" Lightning immediately begins casting repetitive Cure spells on the injured member of the team.

Once Fang turns her attention back to Orphan, Lightning feels a form of sympathy for the fal'Cie- even though she does not believe that the fal'Cie deserves her sympathy in the least. There is only one true "automatic berserk button" for Fang; it involves hurting Vanille in any possible way.

The final hit is thrown and- against any possible scenario that Lightning would have thought of in the beginning of her l'Cie journey- she is not the one to throw it. She is not even near the melee (respectively, anyways). No.

She is the healer the one who saves, not destroys.

**A/N: **It was _so~o_ hard to not use the words "Ravager" or "Commando" during this entire thing ("Medic" was a little easier, and it works as long as we pretend that "Healer" isn't the Japanese version of "Medic" for the Paradigm system. XP), but I felt that I would lose something if I did use them, so I refrained. Also, yes, I whole-heartily acknowledge that in a fight (especially the final one against Orphan), you do _not_ use Lightning as the only (or main) Medic; she just can't handle it. But, you can't have all six of them in the fight at once either, yet logically, it wouldn't make sense to have three stand off to the side. Therefore… Sh~hh. It'll be our little violating-gameplay-systematics secrets, m'kay? ;)

Also, the final sentence is also supposed parallel and contradict Lightning's statement to Hope about why she chose the name "Lightning" to replace "Claire". ^^ (Uh... probably should'a left that open, but well... he... XP)

I hope that everyone enjoyed reading! Thank you so much for your support and reviews!

~Ssomsie


End file.
